Abbey: “Pete and I do morning yoga together”
Model Abbey Clancy opens up about her marriage and how she’s juggling her career with three children under seven
They have one of the strongest and longest-running marriages in football – and showbiz – but Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch have been tested along the way.
In 2010, she dubbed claims that Pete had cheated during her pregnancy with their first child “horrendous”. But the couple soon moved past the allegations and are now happier than ever with three beautiful children: Sophia, seven, Liberty, three, and six-month-old Johnny.
And while Abbey, 32, admits “it’s harder with three kids”, she and Pete still manage to make time for each other, with the couple recently enjoying a four-day, child-free romantic break to Barbados to reconnect.
NO SLEEP
She says, “We had no kids with us for four days and we got up early, we didn’t drink, we did yoga and we went to bed early. It sounds really boring but, actually, it was so nice to just relax and take care of ourselves – we even did yoga together every morning. We had the three kids with us on the holiday before, so we had no sleep and we were constantly running around after them.”
Abbey and Pete got together in 2006 when she was a contestant on Britain’s Next Top Model and he played football for England and Liverpool FC. The couple wed in June 2011, just three months after Abbey gave birth to their first daughter, Sophia.
And while she’s bounced back from previous pregnancies, this time she’s found things tougher. She says, “That third baby just throws everything off. I’m like, ‘Which one do I go to first?!’. With two, I used to put them to bed and get a nice bath – nowadays I’ve got dolls and kids in with me!”
Speaking as an ambassador at the PRO:VOKE Haircare launch, Abbey looks sensational and comes across as happy and bubbly, revealing clear braces on her teeth as she beams.
KNOCKED CONFIDENCE
But the model admits her confidence has taken a knock since her hair started to fall out during her pregnancy with baby Johnny.
She says, “My hair was falling out throughout my whole pregnancy – and still is now, so it’s fallen out loads. Every day I’m like, ‘My hair’s thinner and thinner’, so that’s hard and it does knock your confidence.
“I didn’t dye my hair during pregnancy and it went quite dark but, as soon as I had the baby, I wanted to go blonder and feel more like me and get back my confidence.”
Abbey and Pete live in their dream Surrey mansion, which they built from scratch, and they currently have a new house guest – Abbey’s mum, Karen. The pair are extremely close and Karen has moved in to help out with the children.
Abbey says, “Thank God for my mum because she’s living with us now. It’s great as Sophia is seven now so she helps me out a lot, too. Me and my mum do reformer Pilates together – it just gives me more energy and strength to look after the kids.
“At home, I’m just really casual – no
‘At home I’m really casual – I’m low maintenance’
make-up and comfies on. I’m definitely low-maintenance. I’m always the last one to get ready in the house by the time I’ve dressed all the kids. Pete’s always like, ‘Hurry up, come on!’ and I’m like, ‘My hair’s still wet and I’m not even dressed!’ with a towel still on. I literally get ready in ten minutes to go out, because that’s usually all I’ve got!”
MAKING AN EFFORT
Despite her busy work schedule and having three kids under seven, Abbey still enjoys some me-time when she can.
She reveals, “I think making an effort and going out with your girlfriends or on a date night is always a good thing to make you feel good. What works for me is sleep, loads of moisturiser and loads of water – all of which I haven’t done enough of recently!” ● Abbey is ambassador for PRO:VOKE Haircare. Turn to p42 for more on Abbey and her hot mum!